Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-02
WHAT IT COSTS.
Some Startling Figures on New York
City Machine POliticS-WhGt a
Candidate Must Put Up.
Over Forty Five Thousand Voters Under
Pay of Politicians on Election Day
Where the Money Comes From.

NEW YORK, March The Common
wealth Club dined, including its guests,
200 strong al the Metropolitan hotel last
night. City Chamberlain William NJ.
Irons read paper on the use of money
in elections. in which he presented some
| queer statements. These were some of
them: The legal machinery Of elections
in this city involves the expenditure Of
| 1921 900 in an average year, and at least
800, 900 is added to this in a presiden-
tial year. This fund of S29l 900 is prac-
tically used if not to purchase
| at least to assure and guarantee the votes
| OF at least ten persons for each election
district. Election districts will average
about 800 voters, so this per cent. OF
voters as minimum are employed in or
about the elections in accordance with
the provisions CT law, as officers of the
| law aud election district leaders, so they
are the Erst men to vote and to vote right.
| District leaders at the rate of four for each
election district are among the 1912
| office holders whose names are on the pay
rolls of the city. There are diff .rent
ways of securing their services in per-
petuty and getting the city to pay them
as city employees. New York City paid
| it's assembly district leaders last year
$3.50, 900 or an average OF $3.50 for each
of the seventy-twO leaders THis
estimate includes an estimated
Income Of the Registers office ct $780,
900, but not, however, the feed office
yielding Sl2, 900 year to its chief. The
amount which is now being actually re-
ceived by these leaders from the public
treasury is $2+2, 900. OF this Tammsny
Hall gets $4,000, the County DemoC-
racy $50, 900 and the Republicans the
rest. In each case the amount is
divided among the district leaders
and $4,000 more goes to captains,
heelers, followers and hangers on. To
meet these expenses the County Clerk,
Register and other candidates for office
have to pay large assessments to their
party constituents. The County Clerk
and Register have got off cheap when
they paid from $4,000 to $4,000, and
besides gave office to certain retainers.
In addition John Kelly told US to make
each of those Offices pay him $4,000
year for state politics. In good years,
such as that after the sale by the board of
aldermen of the Broadway franchise. the
aldermanic office was much sought after
Candidates were assessed from SlJ to
S25 for each election district. Candi
dates for Congress pay from
S25 to $50 for each election district.
Candidates for judicial offices have paid
as nigh as $1,000. The assessment paid
by the Comptroller in the last election
was 100000. Mayor Hewitt paid sl2,
500 apiece to the County Democracy and
to Tsmmany Hall, and 1924, 900 to Irving
Hall. Mayor Edison paid, or there was
paid on his account, $4,000 each t. the
County Democracy and Tammany Hall
and $4,000 to Irving Hall. Mayor Grace
paid $4,000 to the County Democracy
when he last ran, and in 1880 he paid
S12 500 to Irving Hall and $500 to Tam
many Hall. In an average year total of
1921 200 is paid in assessments. This,
with the money distributed by law re-
suits in fifty six voters in each election
district being under psy or 1915 in all.
Thus, at the last election, when 2l9, 1892
votes were polled. over twenty per cent.
of all the voters received money in
one form or another for their election
days services. This total does not in
clude printing or the expenses in guber-
Material ard presidential years, when all
these figures are largely increased.